PATRAN Beginner's Guide

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2 HOW TO START A PATRAN SESSION
2 HOW TO START A PATRAN SESSION
1 Introduction
PATRAN is a pre and post processing package for the finite element program ABAQUS. In addition
it has the capability of finite element analysis. This manual has been prepared for users who want to
use ABAQUS for finite element analysis. It also describes how once the ABAQUS analysis is run one
could carry out some post processing.
This manual tells the user how to run PATRAN in the Teaching system. It also has an example problem
on how to set up the data for an ABAQUS analysis using PATRAN. It explains how a ABAQUS
job can be submitted from within PATRAN and after the successful completion of the job how to use
the post processing facilities.
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2 How to Start a PATRAN Session
Figure 1: Main Form
Find a suitable terminal for running PATRAN. These are the X-terminals in the main area of the DPO,
the PC-based X-terminals at the East end of the DPO, and the PC-based X-terminals in the EIET Lab
(Inglis building).
1. Log in using your user ID and password.
2. Run a window manager (example : twm& ). This is recommended. It is useful in the sense that
the PATRAN windows can be moved around and scaled. Do not run start, fvwm or fvwm2.
3. Create a subdirectory and move to it.
Type mkdir patran (you need to do this only once.)
Type cd patran (you need to do this for each session.)
It is a good idea to re-start PATRAN in the directory in which the database resides. Even though
it is possible to start PATRAN in any directory and then change to the directory in which the
database is, it is not recommended. The reason is any new files created by PATRAN (example
session files) will be placed in the directory from which PATRAN was started.
If you do not know which is your current directory then type pwd. This will list the name of the
current working directory.
Some useful unix commands :
ls
-l - will list all the files in the current directory.
cd - to return to your HOME directory.
rm file-name - to delete a file. Replace file-name
: rm bracket.dat
with name of file to be deleted. Example
Here the subdirectory is called patran. All the PATRAN related files will be placed in this directory.
When you start a session of PATRAN ensure that there is enough unused disk space
available within your quota to complete the current exercise. Contact the Computer Operators if
you require the quota to be increased.
Alternatively you can work in the /tmp directory. However files created in the /tmp directory
are deleted automatically after 48 hours. Therefore if you require these files please copy them to
your home directory within that time. First check whether there is enough free disk space. If the
free disk space is less than 10 Mbytes do not use the /tmp directory.
Type bdf /tmp
Check the amount available under the heading avail. This will be in KBytes.
Type cd /tmp
Type mkdir userid
Type cd userid
. Here substitute your user-id for userid
to move to this directory.
If you start PATRAN from here then all the files created will be placed in this directory.
3
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4. Type patran (Note : must be in lower case)
Warning
Warning : Do not use the start or fvwm window manager or any of its derivatives
(fvwm2). In the past some problems have been encountered while running PATRAN with
fvwm.
The MSC/PATRAN Main form (Figure 1, also see Appendix A, page 3) should appear
across the top of the screen.
At the top of the main form are
1. the pull-down menus, the on-line help, system icon buttons and the heartbeat.
Below that are
2. the application radio buttons
3. the toolbar icons
4. the history window area
5. the text command line
in that order (See Figure A1, in Appendix A).
The following message should appear in the history window :
MSC.PATRAN 2004 r2 has obtained 1 concurrent license(s) from FLEXlm ....
Then all is well. The MSC/PATRAN status indicator is displayed between the “interrupt” and
“undo” icons. This is the “ heartbeat”.
1. Green means ready and waiting.
2. Blue means busy, but can be interrupted.
3. Red means busy but not interruptible. However if you find that PATRAN is taking a long time
to carry out routine tasks try clicking the Middle Mouse button in the viewport area.
However if you get a message saying that PATRAN could not get a licence then try typing patran
again. If you still get the same message please contact the Computer Operators (operators@eng.cam.ac.uk)
and they should be able to sort out the problem.
If the licence was obtained successfully then wait for the heartbeat to turn Green. Only the ‘File’
command along the top row will appear in black. At this point that is the only command that can be
selected. The rest of the menus are greyed out.
In the rest of this document the actions to be taken by the user for completing the exercise is denoted
by the symbol .
Before starting the exercise
4